


Love Fool

by lunaraindrop



Series: October 31 Days of Queliot (and maybe other ships) Challege [1]
Category: The Magicians (TV)
Genre: 1920's Fashion, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Costumes, Halloween, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pre-Slash, Tarot, first year
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-02
Updated: 2019-10-02
Packaged: 2020-11-15 12:29:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20866253
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lunaraindrop/pseuds/lunaraindrop
Summary: Before a Halloween party, Margo reads a card for Eliot. Quentin overhears and is really invested in the outcome.





	Love Fool

**Author's Note:**

> Part of my October 31 Days of Queliot (and maybe other ships) Challenge. Based on my original Tumblr post here: https://lunaraindrop.tumblr.com/post/187818783675/eliot-finds-out-who-his-one-true-love-is
> 
> I was given the word *tarot* by a friend to start off my challenge. (Thank you hon!) All I could think about was fleshing this story out. :) I hope you like it!
> 
> For more fun, listen to this while reading : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXjZeCL0C9o
> 
> Kudos and Comments = Love!

* * *

In the Physical Kids cottage living room, Margo and Eliot were sitting on the couch.

Unlike their normal immaculate daywear, the two best friends were dressed as if they were going for a night on the town in the 1920’s.

Margo, sporting finger waves and a feather headband, wore a gold beaded flapper dress that sparkled when she moved.

Eliot on the other hand looked like he was channeling Jay Gatsby with his suspenders and Jaxon hat. Said hat was covering his face as he listlessly leaned back against the couch. Next to him the gilded lady spread cards face down on the coffee table.

Eliot sighed. To put it bluntly, he was bored.

“Margo, for real, this is bullshit. Can we go to the club now?”

Margo rolled her eyes and picked up the textbook from her lap.

“I know this is bullshit, and boring as fuck, but we have to pass our tarot exam. Just let me give you a reading so we can go to the Halloween party.”

Eliot removed the hat from his face and begrudgingly sat up. He paused as he looked at the cards. Looking back up a Margo, he took on an impish grin and tapped on one of the cards. He had an idea.

“Alright, fine. But let’s make this interesting. Ask about my one true love.”

Margo gasped in glee and started flipping through the tarot textbook.

Across the room and hidden by one of the heavy curtains in the reading nook, Quentin’s head snapped up from the book he had been reading. Up until that point he had been lost in his newly acquired copy of _The Land of Stories: A Grimm Warning._ He wasn’t sure how long he had been there. While his friends planned to go to some huge Halloween party, Quentin decided to go hide himself with a good book. Like Oz the Great and Powerful, the curtain worked wonders cloaking him from the other inhabitants in the room. He probably would have continued to stay in his own little world for the rest of the night.

You know, if he hadn’t heard what he just did.

Curious, he hugged the book to his chest and listened

closely.

After reading a section, Margo put down the book and started gathering the cards.

“We both know I’m your soul mate.”

Unbeknownst to the two, Quentin and Eliot had matching nods at this. Eliot was the only one to answer her though. “Naturally.”

“So we need to ask the cards specifically.”

Eliot nodded again. “Right. Yes…how do we do that?”

Margo tapped a paragraph on the page. “According to this, we can do this complicated love spread-“

At the word “complicated”, Eliot sprang up from the couch like an offended loose spring. “Ugh, I already don’t care. I’m going to make a martini.”

Quentin grumpily pouted. HE cared very much, thank you. Of course, he was not going to tell either of them that, though.

Eliot walked over to his mini bar and hailed to Margo over his shoulder. “Call me back when we know my future husband’s dick size.”

That made Quentin’s pout go away really quick. It was replaced by a flush of color on his cheeks and a steady heat starting to build below his belly. He shifted as quietly as he could in his seat.

Eliot sprinkled some cinnamon into the candy apple themed cocktail he made for Margo, and he graciously placed it in her hand. He partook of his own. Margo sipped hers, then addressed Eliot with a sly smirk. “Or.”

Eliot caught on. “Oh, I like ‘ors’. You know how much I like ‘ors’, Bambi.”

She sighed a giggle and dramatically took his hand in hers. “_Or_, we can ask for a one card description. It is not nearly as detailed, but completely a one-and-done.”

Eliot’s eyes lit up. “Oh, I do love a flair of mystery. Okay, do that one.”

They clinked their glasses in cheers, and Margo proceeded to shuffle the cards.

Quentin was _very_ invested in the outcome. Unlike his two friends, Quentin took cards of any sort _very_ seriously. Add to the fact that these were _magic cards_ meant to predict and guide and not just some parlor trick, and it made his heart race.

He knew the stakes.

While Eliot and Margo were having fun with this, Quentin knew that they were about to find out who the love of Eliot’s life was going to be.

_He _was about to learn who the love of Eliot’s life was going to be.

To an anti-social, nerdy piner that was falling for his best friend, that was huge.

Who was his competition?

Who would end up stealing Eliot away?

Who would Eliot love with the passion and tenderness of a thousand warm suns? 

(On a happier note, he was also very intrigued by the sounds of Margo’s shuffling. He was an expert on playing cards, after all, and it sounded like Margo’s shuffling technique was Vegas-worthy. If he could ever figure out how to bring it up, he would love to compare notes.)

Margo spoke to the cards. “Can we have a one card description of Eliot’s-“she paused and raised an eyebrow at Eliot. “What, future husband? One true love? What are we going with here?

Eliot took another sip of his applish cocktail and flippantly waved his hand.

“You choose. Tell me of my future, Bambi.”

Margo thought for a moment, then came to a decision. “Okay, cards, give us a description of Eliot’s one true **romantic** love.”

Eliot was pleased at her wording. “Nice touch.”

Margo shimmied her golden beads. “Thank you. I think that made it pretty clear.”

“Quite clear.”

Quentin thought so too. This way a card representing Margo would not show up.

Margo drew a card from the middle of the deck and flipped it over. She peered at it in silence.

Quentin leaned closer.

Eliot gave Margo a teasing smile. “…well? The cards have spoken! Who is my one true romantic love?”

Quentin held his breath.

Margo continued to be silent before she smirked. While Quentin could not see, some recognition flashed in her eyes. Before Eliot could question her, she flipped the card to show him.

“Honey, your one true love is a fool. Literally.”

In her hands Eliot could see what looked like a man bathed in sunlight. Below the drawing were the words _**THE FOOL**_ in bold allcaps.

Unlike Margo, Eliot did not comprehend what this could mean for him. He didn’t know that tarot was not just about what the textbook says it means. The art of tarot, he would happily figure out after their test, was always about _interpretation_. 

While he focused on all the aspects of the picture, he completely missed that the _title _might be the most important part. Looking closely at the card, he tilted his head at the card.

“_The Fool?_ But what does that mean? What does the book say?”

The clocked chimed on the wall.

“El, if we take a portal now, we can make it in time for happy hour!”

Taking one more assessing look at the card, he gently placed it back on the table. He ran his finger over the edge of the tiny face of the man frolicking in the sunlight. Closing his eyes, for just a second, he wished on who he wanted that man to be. Halloween was not known to be a time of miracles, but...maybe...

Smiling, he stood up and regally offered Margo his arm.

“Grab the book Bambi. I am suddenly very curious about my love fool.”

As the two walked out the door discussing the card’s traits, Quentin scrambled and fell hard out of his hiding place.

Hand covering his heart, he blinked in disbelief.

_The love of Eliot’s life…is **me**?_

Standing up, he looked at the discarded pile of cards and the one lone face up one on the coffee table. Picking it up, he started to hyperventilate.

“Jesus! Holy shit.”

* * *

Kudos and Comments = Love!


End file.
